Zoom Video Lighting Tips

Nowadays it feels like we spend our whole life on zoom. It’s how we connect with friends and for some of us even how we work. I mean right now my entire job is remote directing where I’m on zoom all day. And like probably most of you, I suffered from bad lighting and unflattering camera angles at first, but as a filmmaker I knew this wouldn’t fly. So I thought I’d share with you some handy zoom video lighting tips so I can show you how to look better on zoom calls.

First up, let’s talk about laptop height. Most people have their laptop flat on their desk, but this means you get that super unflattering angle that’s basically pointed right up your nose. Now the reason this angle looks so terrible is because well we as humans don’t normally see other humans from this vantage point, unless you’re a baby I guess. So consider purchasing a laptop stand that will help raise your laptop camera up to eye level. This will help make your angle feel more natural and whoever you are chatting with virtually will subconsciously feel more like your equal.

Next let’s talk about lighting, and boy is this a big one! So tip number one, don’t have a window directly behind you, because this will cause issues with exposure. You see your laptop or phone camera has auto exposure automatically on so it’s going to try to expose for the brightest point in your frame, and that’s the window not you.

Tip number two, don’t have extreme side lighting. Side lighting can be caused by a window or a bright light off to your side, which again doesn’t look super flattering. Plus this extreme side lighting can mean you lose most if not all details on one side of your face, including one of your eyes, which can make it hard for the other person on the call to feel connected to you.

Next up, tip number 3, don’t do flat lighting. Most people get one of those suction cup lights that go right on the back of their computer, but the issue with that is you get extremely flat lighting. This is especially bad if you’re like me and wear glasses while using the computer, as this is going to give you the most glare.

So instead of flat lighting, do tip number 4, ratio lighting. This is basically a setup where one side of your face is slightly darker than the other, but only slightly. This is similar to lighting you see in TV and movies and it’s called a lighting ratio.

Pro tip, shadows are actually what make people’s faces interesting to look at. Again just think of any movie you’ve seen and the lighting of the characters in the film. By having shadow, we see contour and shapes that are appealing to the eye. So now that you know these tips, your zoom lighting is sure to be… well lit!

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